Elena Rybakina set to miss big tennis tournament as injury update emerges after US Open win

Elena Rybakina will miss the Billie Jean King Cup Finals next week after a new injury update emerged following her US Open triumph.

Rybakina clinched the third Grand Slam title of her career and secured world number one status at Flushing Meadows.

Advertisement

The Kazakh defeated former number one Aryna Sabalenka in the final after ending her 99-week reign atop the rankings.

Rybakina delivered a remarkable campaign in New York, but it has now been revealed she was playing through the pain barrier.

Elena Rybakina to undergo medical examination in Kazakhstan

According to the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, Rybakina will spend a week in Kazakhstan, where she will undergo a medical examination for an injury she initially sustained at the Cincinnati Open.

Rybakina retired from her quarterfinal match against Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati due to an injury around her left ankle, with the 27-year-old later stating that she was struggling to walk.

Advertisement

After doubts were cast over her appearance at the US Open, Rybakina entered the hard-court major and ultimately won the title.

But it was reported that Rybakina's Achilles tendon bothered her throughout the campaign at the US Open, forcing her to take pain killers.

Rybakina will need to take two weeks off for treatment and recovery, which will see her miss Kazakhstan's Billie Jean King Cup tie with Spain on the 23rd of September.

As per the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, Rybakina's priority is now to recover and return to full training.

Elena Rybakina's results at the event she needs to win to complete the Career Grand Slam

By winning the Australian Open and the US Open, Rybakina is now one title away from joining a very prestigious club in tennis history.

Advertisement

She only needs to win Roland Garros in order to complete the Career Grand Slam, a feat seven women have managed in the Open Era.

Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are the players to have done it since the start of the Open Era in 1968.

Despite Rybakina's best surface win-rate coming on clay (74%), she has only ever made it to the quarterfinals of the French Open.

She has reached the last-eight stage twice in Paris, in 2021 and 2024.

This year, Rybakina was knocked out in the second round of Roland Garros by world number 55 Yuliia Starodubtseva.

Click here to read article